ou didn't say anything about it," persisted his wife.

"I didn't want to alarm you, my dear," said Mr. Chalk.

Mrs. Chalk looked at him, but, except for a long, shivering sigh which
the visitor took for sympathy, made no comment.

"I often think that I must have missed a great deal by keeping single,"
said the latter. "It must be very pleasant when you're away to know that
there is somebody at home counting the minutes until your return."

Mr. Chalk permitted himself one brief wondering glance in the speaker's
direction, and then gazed out of window.

"There's no companion like a wife," continued the captain. "Nobody else
can quite share your joys and sorrows as she can. I've often thought how
pleasant it must be to come home from a journey and tell your wife all
about it: where you've been, what you've done, and what you're going to
do."

Mr. Chalk stole another look at him; Mrs. Chalk, somewhat suspicious,
followed his example.

"It's a pity you never married, Captain Bowers," she said, at length;
"most men seem to do all they can to keep things from their wives. But
one of these days----"

She finished the sentence by an expressive glance at her husband.
Captain Bowers, suddenly enlightened, hastened to change the subject.

"I haven't seen Tredgold or Stobell either," he said, gazing fixedly at
Mr. Chalk.

"They--they were talking about you only the other day," said that
gentleman, nervously. "Is Miss Drewitt well?"

"Quite well," said the captain, briefly. "I was beginning to think you
had all left Binchester," he continued; "gone for a sea voyage or
something."

Mr. Chalk laughed uneasily. "I thought that Joseph wasn't looking very
well the last time I saw you," he said, with an imploring glance at the
captain to remind him of the presence of Mrs. Chalk.

"Joseph's all right," replied the other, "so is the parrot."

Mr. Chalk started and said that he was glad to hear it, and sat trying to
think of a safe subject for conversation.

"Joseph's a nice parrot," he said at last. "The parrot's a nice lad, I
mean."

"Thomas!" said Mrs. Chalk.

"Joseph-is-a-nice-lad," said Mr. Chalk, recovering himself. "I have
often thought----"

The sentence was never completed, being interrupted by a thundering
rat-tat-tat at the front door, followed by a pealing at the bell, which
indicated that the visitor was manfully following the printed injunction
to "Ring also." The door was opened and a man's voi